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Re: Restoring Old Seat Belts

To: danray@bluegrass.net
Subject: Re: Restoring Old Seat Belts
From: gofastmg@juno.com (Rick Morrison)
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 21:56:57 EST
Dan,
  It's not advisable to use any type of dye or coloring to seat belt
material. Most times the carrier/solvent in the coloring can seriously
weaken the fibers. Considering the age of your belts, it would probably
be prudent to take no chances whatever. 
 Use only mild soap and water to clean them, per the recomendations of
the manual.
 One questions comes to mind, though; If the apparence is secondary (
incidentaly, a sentiment with which I concur), what is the objection to
the aftermarket belts, aside from the cost?
Rick Morrison
72 MGBGT
74 Midget
 
On Fri, 13 Feb 1998 19:14:13 -0600 "Dan Ray" <danray@bluegrass.net>
writes:
>Ok, no insult taken! You have a valid point.
>I'd change them if I thought they were that bad, maybe. Faded yes, I 
>won't
>argue with you there. They are still strong though, and I'm not doing 
>a
>frame up on her, yet.
>Not to sound ignorant or "devil-may-care", but if I get in a wreck bad
>enough to snap these belts, then the belt will only slow down my skull
>crashing into the screen or whatever else....in which case I'm 
>probably a
>goner anyway.
>I'm focused on renewing the brakes and suspension first, so as to 
>avoid the
>seat belt test altogether.
>The car sat for a while for about 12 years, and only the part that 
>wasn't
>reeled up is faded. The rest is nice and black.
>Would dye, or black magic marker for that matter, weaken the threads 
>that
>much? If so, then I'll leave 'em be, since I bought this car for 
>driving
>pleasure and the looks part is just an afterthought...
>Food for thought though, and your point is well taken.
>
>Thanks
>
>Dan
>'73 B Driver, no trailer queen, ever...
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Palmer Family <amesfolks@snovalley.com>
>To: Dan Ray <danray@bluegrass.net>
>Date: Friday, February 13, 1998 5:22 PM
>Subject: Re: Restoring Old Seat Belts
>
>
>>Not to insult your inteligence, but the reason your belts are faded 
>is
>>because of sun, dampness, etc.  Them being faded shows they are weak, 
>if
>>you dye them, that just changes the color, not there strength!  This 
>will
>>mean they will have no effect when you do get in an accident.
>>
>>Don't dye your seatbelts, they will lose all effectiveness!
>>
>>signed,
>>BARRY PALMER
>>amesfolks@snovalley.com
>>72 MG Midget (Sparky)
>>http://members.xoom.com/mgboy
>>
>>----------
>>> From: Dan Ray <danray@bluegrass.net>
>>> To: mgs@autox.team.net; BobMGT@aol.com
>>> Subject: Re: Restoring Old Seat Belts
>>> Date: Thursday, February 12, 1998 9:46 PM
>>>
>>> If you're thinking about taking them apart anyway, why wouldn't a
>>junkyard
>>> provide yards of seatbelt strap material? To sew the ends after you 
>cut
>>> them, there are always alteration shops that could do it. If faded, 
>a
>>little
>>> dye could do the trick. That's what I'm going to do with mine.
>>> Just a thought....
>>>
>>> Dan
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: BobMGT@aol.com <BobMGT@aol.com>
>>> To: mgs@autox.team.net <mgs@autox.team.net>
>>> Date: Thursday, February 12, 1998 10:21 PM
>>> Subject: Restoring Old Seat Belts
>>>
>>>
>>> >Does anyone know of any outfit that will refurbish old set belts? 
>The
>>belts
>>> on
>>> >my '71 B are shot. The hardware ends are fine but the strap 
>material is
>>> >rotted. I know there are replacement belts available, but they are 
>not
>>> >original and require attachment to the wheel arch panel. How about 
>a
>>source
>>> >for just the strap material ? Surely some of the originality buffs 
>have
>>> been
>>> >down this road.
>>> >
>>
>
>

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